This is currently the 2nd message of the Grounded series we're on. And the purpose of the series would be going to the Bible and knowing the things on where we should be rooted on.
What kind of bread are we going after? Who is it all about? Am I the center of the Universe? Is it all about me? or is it about Jesus? Why do we run to him?
John 6:22-29 [ESV]
22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only d one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord e had given thanks. 24 f So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and g went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, h “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, i you are seeking me, not because you saw j signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.27 k Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for l the food that endures to eternal life, which m the Son of Man will give to you. For on n him God the Father has o set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing p the works of God?”29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, q that you believe in him whom r he has sent.”
This was the text that I took from the Bible and what struck me and made me pause and think was verse 26. Wherein Jesus was telling the crowd that was following Him that they are seeking Him not because of the signs that testifies to who Jesus is but because people have been satisfied and filled with the bread that they ate.
A bunch of verses down the line it was showing the huge picnic wherein we saw bread and fish multiply. And the last verse in that cluster said that the people were in wonder and wanted to take him and install him as King by force.
Why do we go to Jesus? This is my number one question to everyone that goes to him. Why do we pray to Him? are we like the guys that was shown here in the bible? That we only go to Jesus because all that we wanted to get was to be satisfied with what He can do? For the very reason that we know He's able to give us the career that we wanted, the relationship we wanted, the life that we wanted? Sadly we even run towards Him for forgiveness and forgiveness alone and not with a repentant heart.
I can't help but notice that most people that run to Jesus are the ones that wants to gain the life as they have perceived it. And I'm no saint when it comes to this, this was the category that I fell on when it comes to the Jesus business. I only ran to Him when I needed stuff done. Jesus, the therapeutic santa claus.
Sadly this was all that most perceive. Jesus existed for our wants, and desires, even if it doesn't suit what scripture directs, we still pray for it to happen. Sadly we sought Jesus to gain life, instead of lose it. What we're telling is that Jesus is not sufficient for He really didn't enter the picture of the life we painted.
This is the type of bread everyone is going after, this is the type of bread that everyone labors for. This is the type of bread that everyone wants Jesus to give and this is where I believe we have badly missed the point. Jesus... is Jesus.
Verse 27 says that we shouldn't labor for this kind of bread but we run towards the bread that doesn't perish but grant eternal life. We should run towards Jesus because He is this bread. This is what we should be going to Him for, not of what we gain, but because of His transcendent identity that no one could ever rise in comparison. We're captivated by what He does, but not for the whole persona of Jesus Christ.
In turn we lose trust.
We still go after the things we want, and only include Him in the picture as the Therapeutic Genie that grants you wishes whenever you call unto Him. We don't trust him our desires, decisions and life. We do not have the guts to give Him all our life because sadly, even in the realm of religion, it is still about us.
Paul said in his letter to the Philippians, that I consider everything loss, rubbish, compared to the surpassing knowledge of who Christ is. Do we even consider Him, Jesus, as the overall prize to run after? Do we even have that revelation that we stand in awe for who He is.
Let's find out, through scripture, who Jesus is. Let's pray for a revelation as Peter has received when he was asked by Jesus who does he think Jesus is. These kind of revelation does not come from flesh and man but by God who is in heaven (Jn 6:29). Let's recapture in our minds and hearts who Jesus is and lets, in hope, forget about us.
The Bible does say that He grants the desires of our hearts (Ps 37:4) and no doubt if that's what the Bible say, then it'll be true. But let's not forget that we are to delight in Him first.
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May the Lord bless you, and keep you, and make His face shine upon you and give you peace. Have a wonderful weekend! Be blessed!
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